MEET Ice Warrior, Stiggy and Snowball – they could soon be melting ice in your street.

No, not the children, but the road gritters they are sitting in.

Dion Stopps, Grace Payne and Libby Spindlow from Drayton Primary School were invited to name three of the county council’s 31 road maintenance vehicles.

They were among children from three primary schools in Oxfordshire who all got to meet and name their own gritter at the council’s Drayton Depot recently.

Libby, nine, from Drayton, said: “I called the gritter Ice Warrior because it fights against the ice.

“It was fantastic fun seeing my own digger.”

Grace, six, from Sutton Courtenay, said: “I know a dog called Stig and I thought Stiggy was a good name too.

“I got a great goodie bag with a water bottle, a reflector for my book bag, a pencil case and a book mark.”

The stunt was part of a campaign by the council to alert children and parents to the dangers of icy roads.

Dion, nine, from Drayton, said: “It was really good.

“I saw all the salt that goes in the back of the gritter.

“I called the gritter Snowball because the snow goes around the gritter and it can make a snowball.”

Children from Sutton Courtenay C of E Primary and St Michael’s C of E Primary, Steventon, also got to meet their gritters on Thursday.

County councillor Rodney Rose said: “I certainly hope the sight of these newly-named gritters brings some winter cheer to motorists out and about on the county’s roads.

“I wouldn’t wish for too much cold weather, but I am sure there will be plenty of opportunities for gritter-spotting over the coming months.”